Two couples based in Ontario just created a board that's centred around Muskoka — a summer destination for approximately 100,000 seasonal property owners and a beloved community for over 60,000 residents. 

The family-friendly board game invites you to journey between locations in the municipality by land and lake using explore cards, taking in the sights and sounds of the region to gain advantages, and earning wildlife point tokens needed to become the "ultimate adventurer of Muskoka." 

The light Euro-style game includes card collection through open drafting, route completion to earn categorized tokens, and push-your-luck opportunities to accumulate points. 

During lockdowns in 2020, the two couples decided to embark on this project despite their full-time jobs and already busy lives as parents. Having all met and spent much of their lives in Muskoka, the couples decided to combine their skill sets to create and design a board specifically for the lakefront community. 

Darrin Henein, the creative director at Canazee Games, is responsible for all the artwork and visual design. The design professional was born in Toronto and is currently the Director of Design at Shopify. 

Trent Hansen, the lead game designer at Canazee Games, is responsible for the game creation along with the operations. Trent moved to Canada in 2009 and is currently an air traffic controller at Toronto Pearson Airport. 

"Sitting outdoors one lockdown night with a local craft beer in hand, I contemplated thematic ideas if I were to make my own game. As I surveyed the beer can from Muskoka Breweries that I was drinking, inspiration struck - what better game to create than one based on an iconic area where people play board games…at their cottages," Trent wrote in a blog post on the game's website. 

"The concept of basing a board game on a geographical or popular area is not new, so I went online to search for a Muskoka based board game. Nothing came up. I ran it by my amazingly supportive wife Brenna-Lynn, who affirmed the idea and would go on to be my constant sounding board, as well as endless source of encouragement." 

Alicia Henien is responsible for social media and customer care at Canazee Games. She is an early childhood educator and currently a stay-at-home mom living in Aurora, with her husband Darrin, and their two kids. 

Brenna-Lynn Hansen is also part of the sales and marketing team at Canazee Games. She's a registered nurse working in labour and delivery, teaches prenatal classes, and cares for her four boys with her husband Trent. 

"The goal with Muskoka: The Board Game was to produce a fun experience that was multi-generational, would promote play free from technology and provide the true essence of experiencing Muskoka," Darrin wrote in a blog post. 

"When Trent approached me with his idea for a board game themed around the iconic Canadian destination of Muskoka, my imagination was immediately kicked into overdrive. I'd spent countless summers growing up, camping, adventuring, working, falling in love, and now raising my children in this magical place. It's a core thread of my person, and instantly my mind started racing through the moments, images and feelings that the Muskoka region could evoke," he wrote. 

Limited quantities of Muskoka: The Board Game are currently available for purchase online for $59.99.